Axial reinforcement system for restorative shell

ABSTRACT

An axial reinforcement system is disclosed that provides a shell (i.e., a form or jacket) that protects a weight-bearing member (e.g., a cement column) from a corrosive environment and which also substantially increases the structural capacity of the weight-bearing member. The shell is integrated with “positioners” and reinforcing elements, the combination of which offers several advantages over conventional shells. The positioner is attached directly to the shell and the positioner is, in turn, secured to a reinforcing element, which can be a reinforced steel, such as rebar, or a carbon fiber reinforced polymer material. The axial reinforcement system has been found to substantially increase the structural rigidity of the weight-bearing member, while at the same time protecting the weight-bearing member from corrosion and is also simple to install.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present invention claim priority to U.S. provisional application No.62/289,718, filed on Feb. 1, 2016, which application is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Piles or columns supporting a vertical load can deteriorate over time,particularly in marine environments. Tides, water currents, salt waterabrasion, floating debris, marine insects, wide temperature gradients,and weathering all contribute to deterioration of the column while thecolumn bears a continuous load. Bridges and docks are examples ofarchitectural structures that are supported by columns in marineenvironments. Columns can be made of concrete, steel, or wood, forexample. Deteriorated columns, or more generally, weight bearingmembers, are typically repaired in place because of the high cost toremove each column for repair or replacement. Marine column restorationis a dangerous and arduous process because the columns often extendseveral feet under water and are difficult to access. Further,rehabilitating marine columns often must be done quickly because much ofthe repair takes place while under water. Occasionally, the repair sitemust be “de-watered” to prevent water from interfering with the columnrestoration.

Shells or jackets have been introduced to protect columns from furtherdeterioration. Shells are designed to surround the column above andbelow the area of deterioration. A shell is placed around the column andthen grout or an epoxy is poured or pumped into the space between theshell and the column. The shell provides a permanent form that protectsthe column from further deterioration while retaining the epoxy orcementitious that fills the voids in the column. The epoxy or grout orepoxy also prevents water or environmental corrosives from contactingthe damaged portion, or any other covered portion, of the column.However, little structural capacity is added to the column by the shelland epoxy grout combination.

Shells that can both increase the structural capacity of columns and atthe same time protect the columns from deterioration are desirable inmany situations. For example, bridges that were built several decadesago may be supported by columns that were designed to support smallerloads and comply with less stringent design standards than are requiredby today's code standards. A bridge built in 1950, for example, may havebeen designed and built to support trucks up to 40,000 lbs, and wouldneed to be enhanced to support the heavier trucks of today, increasedtraffic, and more stringent structural codes. Moreover, the columnssupporting such a bridge may have deteriorated over time such that theweight-bearing capacity of the bridge has decreased.

Conventional shells are unable to substantially increase the structuralcapacity of weight bearing members because they do not have positioners,bar supports, or reinforcing members integrated thereon. The presentinvention has been found to solve many problems inherent in conventionalshells and column-restorative procedures.

OVERVIEW

The embodiments disclosed herein increase the structural capacity ofconstruction repair systems, such as a “grout-filled shell systems.” Insystems developed previously by the present inventor, a manufacturedfiberglass shell (for example, Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer or GFRP)is installed around an existing column made of steel, concrete or wood,for example, which column supports a structure such as a road or a dock,for example. A grout is placed between the column and the inside of theshell. Exemplary grout materials include epoxy or cementitious mixtures.An exemplary cementitious mixture is disclosed in the inventor'scorresponding U.S. Pat. No. 9,382,154, filed on Jan. 17, 2014, andentitled “Hygroscopic Cementitious Materials,” the disclosure of whichis incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. A grout-filled orepoxy-filled shell system is generally utilized when the originalstructural design capacity of the column has been degraded due todamage, decay, or abrasion of the pile, or when additional strengtheningis required or desired for the column. The grout-filled or epoxy-filledshell system can be utilized in a marine environment or underwater,where all of the components are required to be non-corrodible. Existingsystems, however, often fail to increase the capacity of a degradedcolumn back to the original design requirements, or to enhanced designrequirements, including a factor of safety, as required by designstandards, codes, or regulations.

The embodiments disclosed herein address the deficiencies found inearlier systems. Specifically, by providing a fiberglass shell with“positioners” and attaching additional axial reinforcing elements on theinterior of the shell, the corresponding additional reinforcement canmeet or exceed the required structural design capacity of the column,including a required factor of safety. Exemplary axial reinforcingelements include stainless steel or carbon steel reinforcing bars (e.g.,rebar) or laminate shapes composed of carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer(CFRP). These embodiments are not limited to full encapsulations, butthey can be utilized when less than full, or half shells, are required,such as supplementing or increasing the structural capacity of strongbacks, for example. Moreover, the disclosed embodiments can be used tostrengthen standard columns in any environment, and not merely in marineenvironments.

To provide a shell (i.e., a form or jacket) that protects a column froma corrosive environment and substantially increases the structuralcapacity of the column, and which can be installed quickly, the presentinventor has recognized, among other things, that a shell integratedwith “positioners” and reinforcing elements can offer several advantagesover conventional shells. In some examples, the shell can include apositioner that is attached directly to the shell and the positioner is,in turn, secured to a reinforced steel, such as rebar. In such examples,the positioners and reinforced steel are positioned away from, and notattached to, the column. Additionally or alternatively, in someexamples, the shell can include a positioner attached directly to theshell and which is also secured to a carbon fiber reinforced polymer(CFRP) laminate structure. In such examples, the positioners and CFRPlaminate structure are positioned away from, and not attached to, thecolumn. In each example, the positioner can be shaped to correspond to ashape of the reinforcing member, or shaped in such a way that thereinforcing member is easily affixed to the positioner. In someexamples, the reinforcing member may extend parallel to a longitudinalaxis of the shell. In some examples, several positioners can be used foreach reinforcing member; and several reinforcing members can be usedwith each shell. These exemplary designs can (1) enhance the structuralrigidity of the shell and column, (2) protect the column from furthercorrosion, and (3) be simple to install.

To further illustrate the apparatuses and systems disclosed herein, thefollowing non-limiting examples are provided:

Example 1 is an axial reinforcement system comprising a shell adapted tobe wrapped around a column; a positioner attached to the shell; and areinforcement member secured to the positioner, the reinforcement memberextending parallel to a longitudinal axis of the column and the shell.

In Example 2, the positioner in the system of Example 1 can optionallyinclude a concavity shaped to retain and support the reinforcementmember.

In Example 3, the system of Examples 1 or 2 can optionally include anadhesive that retains the reinforcement member to the positioner.

In Example 4, the system of any of Examples 1-3 can optionally include asecuring element that secures the reinforcement member to thepositioner.

In Example 5, the system of any of Example 4 can optionally include ametal or plastic tie as the securing element, and which can wrap aroundends or “ears” of the positioner.

In Example 6, the system of any of Examples 1-5 can optionally includean adhesive that retains the positioner to the shell.

In Example 7, the system of any of Examples 1-6 can optionally include ametal rebar, a fiber-reinforced rebar, or a carbon fiber laminate as thereinforcement member.

In Example 8, the system of any of Examples 1-7 can optionally includean epoxy matrix as the material of the positioner.

In Example 9, the system of any of examples 1-8 can be structured suchthat neither the positioner nor the reinforcement member are attached tothe column when they are in an installed configuration around thecolumn.

In Example 10, the system of any of Examples 1-9 can optionally includea plurality of positioners and a plurality of reinforcement members.

In Example 11, the system of any of Examples 1-10 can optionallyposition the reinforcement members at equally-spaced radial dimensionsaround the column, or can position the reinforcement members atnon-equally spaced radial dimensions around the column.

Example 12 is an axial reinforcement system comprising a shell adaptedto be wrapped around a column; a plurality of positioners attached tothe shell; and at least one reinforcement member that wraps around thecolumn and which is also secured to the plurality of positioners.

Example 13 is a method of reinforcing a column comprising providing ashell adapted to be wrapped around the column; and attaching apositioner to the shell; securing a reinforcing member to thepositioner.

These and other examples and features of the present structures andsystems will be set forth by way of exemplary embodiments in thefollowing detailed description. This overview is intended to providenon-limiting examples of the present subject matter and is not intendedto provide an exclusive or exhaustive explanation. The detaileddescription below is included to provide further information about theinventive structures and methods.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, like numeralscan describe similar components in different views. Like numerals havingdifferent letter suffixes can represent different instances of similarcomponents. The drawings illustrate generally, by way of example, butnot by way of limitation, various examples discussed in the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 1 shows an axial reinforcement system, according to an exemplaryembodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 2A-2B show top views of axial reinforcement systems, according toexemplary embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 3 shows a seam of a shell of an axial reinforcement system with twoends secured together using a mechanical fastener.

FIG. 4 shows a seam of a shell of an axial reinforcement system with twoends secured together using a tongue-in-groove connection.

FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional, axial view of an exemplary axialreinforcement system that uses a CFRP laminate as a reinforcing member.

FIG. 6 shows a side view of the system depicted in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional, axial view of an exemplary axialreinforcement system that uses rebar as a reinforcing member.

FIG. 8 shows a side view of the system depicted in FIG. 7.

FIGS. 9A-9B show a partial cross-sectional view of exemplary systemsapplied to a compromised weight-bearing member, the systems having rebarand CFRP laminate, respectively, as the reinforcing members.

FIG. 10 shows a flow chart of an exemplary method of forming an axialreinforcement system according to exemplary embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIGS. 11A-11B show embodiments of exemplary positioners structured forretaining rebar, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 12A-12C show embodiments of exemplary positioners structured forretaining a planer reinforcing member, according to an exemplaryembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 13A shows a top view of a reinforcing member wrapped around acolumn and attached to a plurality of positioners around the shell.

FIG. 13B shows a partial cross-sectional view of the exemplary system ofFIG. 13A applied to a weight-bearing member, the system having areinforcing member wrapped around the column and attached to a pluralityof positioners within the shell.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present application relates to systems and methods for pile orcolumn restoration and reinforcement. For example, the presentapplication discloses a shell, one or more positioners attached directlyto the shell, and one or more axial reinforcement members attached tothe positioners. Additional positioners and reinforcing members may beattached to the shell to further increase structural rigidity of thesystem. This combination can be wrapped around a column to reinforce andprotect a column. Additional details are discussed further below.

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary axial reinforcement system 100. The system cancomprise a shell 110 having a longitudinal axis 112, positioners 120,and axial reinforcement members 130. For clarity, the column aroundwhich the shell is wrapped is not shown in FIG. 1; but an exemplarycolumn 101 is shown in FIGS. 2 and 9A-9B, and the exemplary column maybe a deteriorated or corroded column. The shell 110 can be made out of ahard, solid carbon fiber or a fiberglass material, for example, suchthat the shell 110 is both lightweight and highly resistant to axialloads. The shell 110 can be pre-formed to be cylindrical, square,rectangular, or partially-cylindrical, such as a semi-circular shape, orcan be pre-formed to be H-shaped or I-shaped, for example.

The shell 110 can have one or more seams 111 (FIG. 2A) runningvertically in a direction of the shell's longitudinal axis 112 such thatthe shell can be wrapped around the column. In other words, the seam 111is where two ends of the shell 110 meet. The shell 110 can have anoverlap over the seam 111, such as a 1″-8″ overlap, to allow one end ofthe shell to be secured to the other end of the shell along an entirelength of the vertical seam 111 of the shell 110. Each end of the shell110 along the shell's vertical seam 111 may also extend substantiallyperpendicularly from the shell 110 such that the ends of the shell 110may be secured together using nuts and bolts and/or an adhesive, asshown in FIG. 3. Several nuts and bolts may be used along the seam 111of shell 110.

A tongue-and-groove structure may alternatively be formed at the shellseam 111, as shown in FIG. 4. One side of the shell 110 may be insertedinto a groove 161 on the other side of the shell 110. To secure the endsof the shell 110 together, an epoxy mastic can be used alone or incombination with screws or other securing fasteners, for example, thatmay be driven through both sides of the groove 161 and through the sideof the shell 110 within the groove. Additionally or alternatively, anadhesive may be applied inside the groove 1161 to further adhere the twosides of the shell 110 together. Various other methods may be used tosecure the two ends of the shell 110 together.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 2B, the shell may not have a seam, butmay be intended to be a half-shell 110 b and wrapped partially around astructure to be reinforced and protected. Regardless, the half-shell 110b shown in FIG. 2B can still use the positioners 120 and reinforcingmembers 130 disclosed herein.

The positioners 120 may be made out of a high strength epoxy matrix,concrete, wood, metal, plastic, or carbon fiber, for example, or acombination of these. When determining the material of the positioner120, various considerations should be contemplated, such as cost;durability; structural strength; bond strength with the shell 110,reinforcing member 130, and/or weight-bearing member 101; coefficient ofthermal expansion and contraction; compatibility with adhesives that maybe used between the positioner 120 and reinforcing member 130, orbetween positioner 120 and shell 110; compatibility with various groutsor cementitious mixtures that may be used to fill the space between theshell 110 and weight-bearing member 101, thereby enveloping positioner120; and resistance to corrosion. In an exemplary embodiment, thepositioners 120 are made out of a high strength epoxy matrix, which islightweight, has a small footprint and with simple design configurationscan accommodate any shape reinforcement, either steel rebar, FRP rebaror FRP laminates. However, other materials may be used for positioners120, as referenced above.

Positioners 120 can have a flat bottom surface to allow an adhesive tospread across a wide surface area to better secure the positioner 120 tothe shell. Alternatively, the positioner 120 can have a slightly roundedbottom surface to correspond to a rounded interior surface of the shell110, such that the bottom surface of the positioner 120 has a radius ofcurvature that corresponds to or equals a radius of curvature of theinside surface of the shell 110. In either case, an adhesive, such as anepoxy paste adhesive, can spread across a wide surface area on thebottom of the positioner 120 to better secure the positioner 120 to theshell 110. Additionally or alternatively, with reference to FIG. 12C,the bottom surface of the positioner 120 facing the shell 110 can havegrooves or small concavities incorporated therein to increase an amountof surface area over which the adhesive acts to secure the positioner120/1201 to the shell 110. FIG. 12C shows a bottom surface of thepositioner 1201, but the bottom surface of any of the other positionersdisclosed herein may comprise a similar surface.

Exemplary axial reinforcement members 130 can include a reinforcingsteel or “rebar;” a fiber-reinforced rebar; or a carbon fiber laminate.The reinforcing members 130 may be round, linear, I-shaped, L-shaped,T-shaped, square, rectangular, or semi-circular, for example, incross-section. The cross-sectional shape may enhance the securementbetween the reinforcing member 130 and the positioner 120. Additionallyor alternatively, the positioner 120 may be shaped to correspond to ashape of the reinforcing member 130. For example, a reinforcing member130 may be L-shaped and a concavity in the positioner 120 may likewisebe L-shaped. The L-shaped reinforcing member 130 may be inserted intothe L-shaped concavity of the positioner 120, which structuralinteraction alone may retain the reinforcing member 130 to thepositioner 120. Additionally or alternatively, an adhesive may beapplied to secure the reinforcing member 130 to the positioner 120.Other securing mechanisms may be used to secure the reinforcing member130 to the positioner 120, as explained in further detail below.

As referenced above, FIG. 2 shows a top view of a the structuralreinforcement system 100. Specifically, FIG. 2 shows positioners 120positioned around an interior circumference of the shell 110. The numberof reinforcing members 130 may determine the number of positioners 120that are attached to the shell 110. One reinforcing member 130 may besecured to the shell 110 using one or a plurality of positioners 120.For example, two positioners 120—one near the top of the shell 110 andone near the bottom of the shell 110—may be used to position and orienta reinforcing member 130. It is advantageous to have a positioner 120near the top and bottom of the shell 110 so that a person can installthe positioners 120 while reaching through the top/bottom of the shell110. In other examples, a positioner 120 may be placed every 10″ to 3′,for example, along an axial dimension of the shell 110 andweight-bearing member 101 (e.g., a column). In other examples, apositioner 120 may be placed every 1′ to 2′ along an axial dimension ofthe shell 110 and weight-bearing member 101. The amount of desiredadditional weight-bearing capacity may determine the number ofpositioners 120 and reinforcing members 130 that are used. By way ofexample, a single reinforcing member 130 in the form of rebar, installedin accordance with the exemplary embodiments of the present invention,may substantially enhance the weight bearing capacity of the weightbearing member (e.g., column). Similarly, a 3″ wide carbon fiberlaminate used as the reinforcing member 130, and secured in thepositioners 120 disclosed in the present disclosure, may similarlyenhance the weight bearing capacity of the weight bearing member.Additional reinforcing members 130 and positioners 120 may be added tofurther enhance weight-bearing capacity.

In a preferred embodiment, the positioners 120 are attached to the shell110 prior to arriving at the site of the weight-bearing members 101 thatare to be reinforced/repaired. Additionally, the reinforcement members130 can be secured to the positioners 120, which are attached to theshell 110, prior to arriving at the site of the column 101 that are tobe reinforced/repaired. However, the reinforcement members 130 mayconveniently be secured to the positioners 120 at the time ofinstallation of the shell 110 around the column 101.

In a preferred embodiment the positioner 120 is attached directly to theshell 110 and does not touch the column 101. Unlike a conventional“spacer,” the positioner 120 performs additional functions that a spaceris incapable of performing. The positioner 120 allows the reinforcingmembers 130 to be pre-assembled to the shell 110 and also spaced apre-determined distance from the shell 110 and column 101, as shown inFIGS. 9A-9B. The distance between the reinforcing member 130 and theunderlying column 101 may be established beforehand by controlling thediameter of the shell 110, a height of the positioner 120, andultimately a distance “h₁” from the shell 110 to a top of thereinforcing member (as shown, for example, by “h₁” in FIGS. 5 and 7).The distance from the top of the reinforcing member 130 to the outersurface of the column 101 may be determined by r_(s)−r_(c)−h₁, wherer_(s) is a radius of the shell 110 (to an internal surface of the shell110) and r_(c) is a radius of the column 101 (to an external surface ofthe column 101). By controlling the r_(s), h₁ , and h₂ variables, adistance between an outer surface of the weight-bearing member (e.g.,column) and the reinforcing member 130 (e.g., 530, 730, etc.) may bepre-determined and controlled. Exemplary distances from the reinforcingmember 130 to the column 101 include 2-8″, or more particularly 2-6″, orin a particular example, approximately 2″.

The positioners 120 also position the reinforcing members 130 in aproper orientation and position with respect to the shell 110. Thedistance between the shell 110 and the reinforcing member 130 may becontrolled by the structural design of the positioner 120. Thisdistance, shown as “h₂” in FIGS. 5-8, may be, for example, with therange of 0.125″-3″, or more particularly 0.5″-1″. In a preferredembodiment, the distance h₂ is approximately 0.75″ (+/−0.125″).

When wrapping a shell 110 around a column 101, it is important to ensurethat the column 101 is concentric with the shell 101, so that the column101 is in the center of the shell 110 and an even spacing is around thecolumn 101. To ensure that the longitudinal axes of the shell 110 andcolumn 101 are concentric, one or more separate spacers may be placeddirectly on the column 101, and/or on the reinforcing members 130,and/or on the shell 110.

The positioners 120 disclosed herein operate differently thanconventional spacers. In addition to positioning reinforcing members 130in a proper orientation and position with respect to shell 110 andcolumn 101, positioners 120 also provide another advantage over spacers.When rebar, for example, comes under heavy vertical loads, it has atendency to bow outward—away from the column. If a conventional spaceris used to merely space the rebar from the column, the spacer is notpositioned or structured to prevent the rebar from bowing outward. Andeven if a spacer were attached to a shell that wraps around a column,the conventional spacer is not designed to secure, bolster, and orient areinforcing member. By using positioners 120 attached directly to theshell 110, and securing reinforcing members 130 to the positioners 120,when the reinforcing members 130 come under heavy vertical loads, thereinforcing members 130 are prevented from bowing outwards because thepositioners 120 are positioned in the “outward” direction in which thereinforcing members 130 would naturally bow. This outward bowing forceis transmitted to the positioner 120, which transmits this force to theshell 110. As the shell 110 is made of a carbon fiber reinforced polymermaterial, and circumscribes, in many situations, the entire column 101,the shell 110 is able to bear much of the outward force, thereby furtherincreasing the structural capacity of the whole system.

Positioners 120 may be attached directly to the underlyingweight-bearing member, such as a column 101, but such a process iscumbersome and takes a significant amount of time on-site. By attachingthe positioners 120 directly to the shell 110, a substantial amount oftime can be saved when installing the protective shell 120 on-site. In apreferred embodiment, the positioners 120 are attached directly to theshell 110. The positioners 120 can be secured to the shell with anadhesive, such as an epoxy paste adhesive. Additionally oralternatively, the positioner 120 may be attached to the shell 110 usinga mechanical connection, including a fastener such as a screw or nail,or complimentary mating structures on the shell 110 and the positioner120, such as a protrusion on the shell 110 and a concavity on thepositioner 120. In exemplary embodiments, the positioners 120 aresecured to the shell 110 using mechanical fasteners only to retain theadhesive long enough for the adhesive to cure, and the mechanicalfasteners are not used to support the reinforcing member 130.

The positioner 120 is structured so as to be securable to the shell 110and to retain an axial reinforcing member 130. For example, thepositioner 120 preferably comprises a concave portion for receiving thereinforcing member 130. The concave portion can be sized to correspondto a shape of the reinforcing member 130, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7. Theconcave portion can be sized to accommodate an adhesive or othersecuring element, such as a metal tie or plastic tie, to secure thereinforcing member 130 to the positioner 120. Alternatively, the concaveportion can be sized to retain the reinforcing member therein by afriction fit. Exemplary structural features are described below inreference to FIGS. 5-8.

FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional, axial view of a system 500 correspondingto system 100. Specifically, FIG. 5 shows a positioner 520 structured tosecure a CFRP laminate reinforcing member 530 within a concavity 521built into the positioner 520. The concavity 521 can also be sized toaccommodate an adhesive, such as an epoxy paste adhesive 540, as shownin FIG. 5. Preferably, adhesive 540 is compatible with a material typeof reinforcing member 530 and positioner 520. A similar or differenttype of adhesive 541 may be used to secure the positioner 520 to theshell 510. Preferably, adhesive 541 is compatible with a material typeof shell 510 and positioner 520. FIG. 6 shows a side view of system 500depicted in FIG. 5.

Additionally or alternatively, positioners 120/520/720 (generallyreferred to as 120) can include other structural features to aid insecuring the reinforcing members 130/530/730 (generally referred to as130) to the positioner 120. For example, the positioner 120 can compriseholes to allow securing elements, such as metal or plastic wires orfasteners, to secure the reinforcing member 130 to the positioner 120.Exemplary structural features are described below in reference to FIGS.7-8.

FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional, axial view of system 700 correspondingto system 100. Specifically, FIG. 7 shows a positioner 730 structured tosecure a rebar reinforcing member 730 within a concavity 721 built intothe positioner 720. The concavity 721 can also be sized to accommodatean adhesive, such as an epoxy paste adhesive, though this is not shownin FIG. 7. The positioner 720 can further comprise one or more holes 722to allow a securing element 740, such as a metal or plastic tie, to passthru hole 722 and wrap around reinforcing member 730 to securereinforcing member 730 to positioner 720. The securing element 740 shownin FIG. 7 is not shown in a taut configuration. As securing element 740is further twisted, it may become more taut to secure the reinforcingelement 730 to positioner 720. An adhesive 741, such as an epoxy pasteadhesive, may be used to secure the positioner 720 to shell 710. Groovesor small concavities may be located in the bottom of positioner 720 toallow an adhesive 741 to more strongly secure the positioner 720 toshell 710.

FIG. 8 shows a side view of system 700 depicted in FIG. 7. As shown, oneor more holes 722 may be used to wrap one or more securing elements 740around reinforcing member 730, for the purpose of securing reinforcingmember 730 to positioner 720.

FIGS. 11A-11B show an alternative structure for a positioner 1120configured to retain a rebar-type reinforcing member, and securingelements are wrapped around “ears” 1121 or ends of the positioner 1120.Positioner 1120 can comprise one or more holes 1122 to allow screws,nails, or other mechanical fasteners to penetrate therethrough, for thepurpose of securing positioner 1120 to a shell 110. The mechanicalfasteners may be a temporary mechanism for securing the positioner 1120to the shell 110, and an adhesive applied to a bottom of the positioner1120 may serve as a more permanent means to secure positioner 1120 toshell 110. FIG. 11B shows a cross-sectional view of the positioner 1120with a reinforcing member 1130 secured thereto by using a metal orplastic tie wire wrapped around ears 1121 of positioner 1120. Similar tothat described above, the positioner 1120 may be configured to space thereinforcing member 1130 from the shell by a distance “h₂.”

FIGS. 12A-12C show an alternative structure for a positioner 1201configured to retain a planar-type reinforcing member 1205, such as aCFRP laminate. Positioner 1201 can comprise one or more holes 1202 toallow screws, nails, or other mechanical fasteners to penetratetherethrough, for the purpose of securing positioner 1201 to a shell110. The mechanical fasteners may be a temporary mechanism for securingthe positioner 1201 to the shell 110, and an adhesive applied to abottom of the positioner 1201 may serve as a more permanent means tosecure positioner 1201 to shell 110. FIG. 12B shows an end view of thepositioner 1201 with a reinforcing member 1205 secured thereto by anadhesive 1204, such as an epoxy. Similar to that described above, thepositioner 1201 may be configured to space the reinforcing member 1205from the shell by a distance “h₂.” And as explained above, FIG. 12Cshows a bottom view of an exemplary positioner 1201, though the groovesshown thereon can be applied to any of the positioners described herein.

FIG. 9A shows a partial cross-sectional view of an exemplary system 900applied to a column 901 that may be compromised or deteriorated in someway. The system 900 comprises a shell 910; a plurality of positioners920 attached to the shell; and a plurality of reinforcing members 930secured to the positioners 920, with each reinforcing member 930 securedto a plurality of positioners 920. The reinforcing members 930 in FIG.9A are represented to be a rebar-type reinforcing member. As can beseen, a gap (of size “h₂”) can be seen between the reinforcing member930 and the shell 910. Another gap between the reinforcing member 930and the column 901 can also be seen in FIG. 9A, and this gap distancecan be determined as described above, such that this gap can be apre-determined by controlling a radius of the shell 910, a distance “h₂”and a distance “h₁,” the latter two of which can be controlled bycontrolling the structure of the positioner 920. One or more additionalpositioners 920 can be added between the two positioners 920 shown inFIG. 9A, such as a positioner 920 halfway between the two positionersshown in FIG. 9A. Such additional positioner(s) would further aid inpreventing reinforcing member 930 from bowing outward or bending in anydirection.

The description above with respect to FIG. 9A is equally applicable toFIG. 9B, though FIG. 9B shows a carbon fiber laminate serving as thereinforcing members 931. Similar to FIG. 9A, the positioners 920 areattached directly to the shell 910 and do not touch the column 901. Alsosimilarly, reinforcing members 931 also do not touch the column 901. Atighter bond between positioner 920 and shell 910 may be achieved thanbetween positioner 920 and column 901. Moreover, the positioners 920 maybe attached beforehand such that the shell 910 and positioners 920 areready for installation upon arriving at the location of column 901. Inother words, shell 910 and positioners 920 are pre-assembled, and timeneed not be wasted during installation allowing an adhesive or epoxybetween positioners 920 and shell 910 to dry/cure. Thus, the system 900may be installed very quickly, which is particularly helpful wheninstalling the system 900 in marine environments where the installationmay take place underwater, and/or in a water current, and/or in frigidtemperatures.

FIG. 10 shows a flow chart of an exemplary method of forming an axialreinforcement system according to exemplary embodiments of the presentdisclosure. The steps or operations of the method of FIG. 10 areillustrated in a particular order for convenience and clarity; many ofthe discussed operations can be performed in a different sequence or inparallel, and some steps may be excluded, without materially impactingother operations. The method of FIG. 10 as discussed, includesoperations that may be performed by multiple different actors, devices,and/or systems. It is understood that subsets of the operationsdiscussed in the method of FIG. 10 attributable to a single actor,device, or system could be considered a separate standalone process ormethod.

In step 1010, a shell 110 is formed to a desired cross-sectional shapeand length. For example, the shell 110 could be formed to be a cylinderthat fully encapsulates a column 101.

In step 1020, positioners 120 are formed to allow for securing an axialreinforcing member thereto. For example, the positioner 120 can comprisea concavity that extends all the way through positioner 120, and sizedto correspond to a reinforcing member that will be placed within thatconcavity.

In step 1030, reinforcement members may be formed. For example, withrespect to carbon fiber laminates, such laminates can be fabricated tocomprise one or several layers of carbon fiber reinforced polymer sheetsembedded in an epoxy resin. Other types of fibers may be used such asglass or aramid fibers, for example. Further, other types of resins maybe used such as ester, vinyl, or polyester, for example.

In step 1040, positioners 120 are attached to the shell formed in step1010. Such attachment can comprise a mechanical attachment and anadhesive or epoxy attachment, as described above.

In step 1050, the fabricated shell 110 and positioners 120 aretransported to a location of weight-bearing members 101.

In step 1060, reinforcement members 130 are secured to the positioners120, which preferably is performed at a location of the weight-bearingmembers 101.

In step 1070, the combined shell 110, positioners 120, and reinforcementmembers 130 are wrapped around weight-bearing member 101 and ends of theshell 110 along a seam 111 are secured to each other such thatweight-bearing member 101 is encapsulated by shell 110. A seal may beplaced at the bottom of the shell 110 to seal a bottom portion of thevoid between the shell 110 and the weight-bearing member 101.

In step 1070, the void between shell 110 and weight-bearing member 101is filled with an epoxy grout or a cementitious mixture. This may bedone by pouring or pumping an epoxy grout or cementitious mixture intothe void. Thereafter, a belt may be wrapped around the shell 110 andtightened while the epoxy grout or cementitious mixture cures.

In this manner, a shell 110 provided with positioners 120 pre-attachedthereto, and reinforcing members 130 thereafter attached to thepositioners 120, can protect a column 101 and substantially increase thestructural capacity of the column while at the same time being simple toinstall. More specifically, the embodiments disclosed herein increasethe vertical load carrying capacity of the column and moment-resistingcapacity of the column.

Referring to FIG. 13A, a similar structure to that shown in FIG. 2A isshown, except that the reinforcing member 130 is wrapped around alongitudinal axis of the shell 110 or column 101, and attached to aplurality of positioners 120 within the shell 110. The positioners 120are attached at different radial and longitudinal positions within theshell 110. The reinforcing member 130 can be a rebar, such as astainless steel rebar or a carbon fiber rebar, for example.

Referring to FIG. 13B, a similar structure to that shown in FIG. 9A isshown, except that the reinforcing member 932 is wrapped around thecolumn 901 instead of in a linear/parallel fashion next to column 901.The system shown in FIG. 13B represents a partial cross-sectional viewof the system shown in FIG. 13A. The reinforcing member 932 is wrappedaround the column 901 and attached to a plurality of positioners 920within the shell 910. The positioners are shown on each side of theshell 910, and FIG. 13B shows two reinforcing members 932 wrapped aroundthe column 901, though there need be only one, or there could be morethan two. The positioners 920 can comprise a concavity or a through-holefor receiving the reinforcing member(s) 932. The shell 910 and column901 are shown in cross-section.

Additional Notes

The above detailed description includes references to the accompanyingdrawings, which form a part of the detailed description. The drawingsshow, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which thedisclosure can be practiced. These embodiments are also referred toherein as “examples.” Such examples can include elements in addition tothose shown or described. However, the present inventors alsocontemplate examples in which only those elements shown or described areprovided. Moreover, the present inventors also contemplate examplesusing any combination or permutation of those elements shown ordescribed (or one or more aspects thereof), either with respect to aparticular example (or one or more aspects thereof), or with respect toother examples (or one or more aspects thereof) shown or describedherein.

In this document, the terms “a” or “an” are used, as is common in patentdocuments, to include one or more than one, independent of any otherinstances or usages of “at least one” or “one or more.” In thisdocument, the term “or” is used to refer to a nonexclusive or, such that“A or B” includes “A but not B,” “B but not A,” and “A and B,” unlessotherwise indicated. In this document, the terms “including” and “inwhich” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms“comprising” and “wherein.” Also, in the following claims, the terms“including” and “comprising” are open-ended, that is, a system, device,article, composition, formulation, or process that includes elements inaddition to those listed after such a term in a claim are still deemedto fall within the scope of that claim. Moreover, in the followingclaims, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc. are used merelyas labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements ontheir objects.

The above description is intended to be illustrative, and notrestrictive. For example, the above-described examples (or one or moreaspects thereof) can be used in combination with each other. Otherexamples can be used, such as by one of ordinary skill in the art uponreviewing the above description. The Abstract is provided to comply with37 C.F.R. § 1.72(b), to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the natureof the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding thatit will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of theclaims. Also, in the above detailed description, various features can begrouped together to streamline the disclosure. This should not beinterpreted as intending that an unclaimed disclosed feature isessential to any claim. Rather, inventive subject matter can lie in lessthan all features of a particular disclosed example. Thus, the followingclaims are hereby incorporated into the detailed description as examplesor embodiments, with each claim standing on its own as a separateexample, and it is contemplated that such examples can be combined witheach other in various combinations or permutations. The scope of theinvention should be determined with reference to the appended claims,along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims areentitled.

The invention claimed is:
 1. An axial reinforcement system comprising: a shell having a length and configured to be wrapped around a weight-bearing member, the shell having an outer cylindrical surface and an inner cylindrical surface radially-inward of the outer cylindrical surface, the outer and inner cylindrical surfaces extending the length of the shell; a positioner having a bottom surface attached, via an adhesive, to the inner cylindrical surface of the shell such that the positioner is located in a void formed between the shell and the weight-bearing member when the shell is wrapped around the weight-bearing member, wherein the bottom surface of the positioner is positioned more radially-inward than the inner cylindrical surface of the shell, and wherein the positioner has at least one hole formed therein, and the positioner is not attached to the weight-bearing member; a reinforcement member secured to the positioner and serving to reinforce the weight-bearing member, wherein the positioner comprises an elongate concavity to accommodate the reinforcement member and is structured to position and support the reinforcement member within the void when the shell is wrapped around the weight-bearing member, and wherein the reinforcement member extends along a longitudinal axis of the shell.
 2. The axial reinforcement system of claim 1, wherein the reinforcement member protrudes out of the concavity formed in the positioner.
 3. The axial reinforcement system of claim 2, wherein an adhesive is located within the concavity of the positioner and which secures the reinforcement member to the positioner.
 4. The axial reinforcement system of claim 2, further comprising a securing element that secures the reinforcement member within the concavity of the positioner.
 5. The axial reinforcement system of claim 4, wherein the securing element is a metal or plastic tie wrapped around the reinforcement element.
 6. The axial reinforcement system of claim 1, wherein the reinforcement member is wrapped around the column and is attached to a plurality of positioners within the shell.
 7. The axial reinforcement system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of positioners is used for each reinforcement member and the plurality of positioners is attached directly to the shell.
 8. The axial reinforcement system of claim 1, wherein the reinforcement member comprises one selected from the group consisting of a metal rebar, a fiber-reinforced rebar, and a carbon fiber laminate.
 9. The axial reinforcement system of claim 1, wherein the positioner is made of an epoxy matrix.
 10. The axial reinforcement system of claim 1, further comprising an epoxy grout placed within the void to secure the shell to the weight-bearing member.
 11. The axial reinforcement system of claim 1, wherein neither the positioner nor the reinforcement member are attached to the weight-bearing member when in an installed position.
 12. The axial reinforcement system of claim 1, wherein the shell is a half-shell and the half-shell not having a seam, the shell being wrapped partially around the weight-bearing member.
 13. The axial reinforcement system of claim 1, wherein the positioner and the reinforcement member are spaced apart from the weight-bearing member so as to avoid contact with the weight-bearing member.
 14. The axial reinforcement system of claim 1, wherein the bottom surface of the positioner is attached to the inner cylindrical surface of the shell with an adhesive.
 15. The axial reinforcement system of claim 14, wherein the bottom surface of the positioner comprises grooves that allow the adhesive to more securely attach the positioner to the inner cylindrical surface of the shell.
 16. A method reinforcing a weight-bearing member, comprising: providing a shell configured to be wrapped around the weight-bearing member, the shell having an outer cylindrical surface and an inner cylindrical surface radially-inward of the outer cylindrical surface; attaching a bottom of a positioner, via an adhesive, to the inner cylindrical surface of the shell such that the positioner is located in a void formed between the shell and the weight-bearing member when the shell is wrapped around the weight-bearing member, wherein a bottom surface of the positioner is attached to the inner cylindrical surface of the shell with an adhesive and/or a mechanical fastener, and after such attaching the bottom surface of the positioner is more radially-inward than the inner surface of the shell, and wherein the positioner has at least one hole formed therein, and the positioner is not attached to the weight-bearing member; and securing a reinforcement member to the positioner, the reinforcement member extending along a longitudinal axis of the shell and serving to reinforce the weight-bearing member, wherein the positioner comprises an elongated concavity to accommodate the reinforcement member and is structured to position and support the reinforcement member within the void when the shell is wrapped around the weight-bearing member.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the reinforcement member protrudes out of the concavity formed in the positioner.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein a plurality of positioners is used for each reinforcement member and the plurality of positioners is attached directly to the shell and not attached to the weight-bearing member.
 19. An axial reinforcement system comprising: a shell configured to be wrapped around a weight-bearing member, the shell having a seam where two ends of the shell meet, the seam running vertically in a direction of a longitudinal axis of the shell, the shell having an outer surface and an inner surface radially-inward of the outer surface; a positioner having a bottom surface attached, via an adhesive, directly to the inner surface of the shell such that the positioner is located in a void formed between the shell and the weight-bearing member when the shell is wrapped around the weight-bearing member, wherein the bottom surface of the positioner is positioned more radially-inward than the inner surface of the shell, and the positioner has at least one hole formed therein, and the positioner is not attached to the weight-bearing member; a reinforcement member secured to the positioner and serving to reinforce the weight-bearing member, wherein the positioner comprises a concavity to accommodate the reinforcement member and is structured to position and support the reinforcement member within the void when the shell is wrapped around the weight-bearing member, wherein the positioner and reinforcement member are spaced apart from the weight-bearing member, and wherein the reinforcement member extends along a longitudinal axis of the shell.
 20. The axial reinforcement system of claim 19, wherein two ends of the shell that meet at the seam are secured together with a tongue-and-groove structure or a bolted connection. 